First Baptist hosts Global Impact Celebration
Returning missionary Matt Ostertag demonstrates to Carol House the proper way to wear a sombrero during the Global Impact Celebration at First Baptist Church of Cassville. Ostertag, his wife Kandi, and their children, who lived in Barry County before going into missions, recently returned from Guadalajara, Mexico, where their ministry was based.
April 1, 2015
Steve Chapman
First Baptist Church of Cassville held its 12th Global Impact Celebration (GIC) last week, starting on Wednesday, March 18, and continuing through Sunday, March 22. During the event, those attending had a chance to meet and speak with missionaries who work in ministries across the globe and get a glimpse of foreign cultures as well.
James Weaver, pastor of First Baptist, said the purpose of GIC was to encourage and support missionaries who are on furlough from their mission fields while also educating church members about the work the missionaries do both overseas and in the United States.
According to Jackie Hendrix, who organized GIC, planning for the event began in September. Numerous volunteers worked together to welcome the missionaries and put the GIC activities together. They cooked meals, provided childcare, coordinated activities for the missionaries and church members, decorated the church, took pictures and set up displays.
Church members also provided the missionaries with places to stay during GIC. Of the ten missionary families that attended the event, nine were on furlough from their mission fields. The tenth family conducts their ministry in Barry County. One family was given lodging at a house First Baptist keeps for visiting missionaries, and the other eight were taken in by church members who volunteered their homes.
Leland May, associate pastor of First Baptist and one of the church members who took in a missionary family, said he enjoyed the five days he spent with his guests. “It was a terrific experience learning about other cultures and experiencing a world without borders,” he said.
During the five days, a variety of activities provided church members with a number of opportunities to learn about global ministries. During the church’s kick-off service on March 18, keynote speaker Gracia Burnham spoke about her ordeal in the Philippines when she and her husband Martin were kidnapped and held by terrorists. After a year of constant starvation and exhaustion due to being moved from place to place, Burnham was eventually freed during a gun battle between her captors and the Philippine military. Tragically, Martin did not survive the battle.
In addition to Burnham’s presentation, those attending GIC services at the church had the opportunity to speak with the missionaries and view displays detailing their work. The exhibits included pictures, tools, clothing, jewelry and other items from the countries where the missionaries were working. Church members gained a better understanding of these foreign cultures, as well as the challenges the missionaries faced.
There were also opportunities to meet and speak with the missionaries outside of the church. On Friday evening, the missionaries met with their sponsoring Sunday school groups for dinner.
Saturday morning provided another chance to speak with the missionaries. The men met at Cassville Bowl while the women had a morning brunch at the church building, and the youth had a cookout.
On Monday, Weaver said the members of First Baptist did an excellent job of hosting and encouraging the missionaries during GIC.
“The missionaries commented that they go into most churches and, if they talk for more than 10 to 15 minutes, people’s eyes start rolling back in their heads, but it’s not that way here. The people want to hear what the missionaries have to say. They care that they are on the field,” said Weaver.
Steve Chapman
First Baptist Church of Cassville held its 12th Global Impact Celebration (GIC) last week, starting on Wednesday, March 18, and continuing through Sunday, March 22. During the event, those attending had a chance to meet and speak with missionaries who work in ministries across the globe and get a glimpse of foreign cultures as well.
James Weaver, pastor of First Baptist, said the purpose of GIC was to encourage and support missionaries who are on furlough from their mission fields while also educating church members about the work the missionaries do both overseas and in the United States.
According to Jackie Hendrix, who organized GIC, planning for the event began in September. Numerous volunteers worked together to welcome the missionaries and put the GIC activities together. They cooked meals, provided childcare, coordinated activities for the missionaries and church members, decorated the church, took pictures and set up displays.
Church members also provided the missionaries with places to stay during GIC. Of the ten missionary families that attended the event, nine were on furlough from their mission fields. The tenth family conducts their ministry in Barry County. One family was given lodging at a house First Baptist keeps for visiting missionaries, and the other eight were taken in by church members who volunteered their homes.
Leland May, associate pastor of First Baptist and one of the church members who took in a missionary family, said he enjoyed the five days he spent with his guests. “It was a terrific experience learning about other cultures and experiencing a world without borders,” he said.
During the five days, a variety of activities provided church members with a number of opportunities to learn about global ministries. During the church’s kick-off service on March 18, keynote speaker Gracia Burnham spoke about her ordeal in the Philippines when she and her husband Martin were kidnapped and held by terrorists. After a year of constant starvation and exhaustion due to being moved from place to place, Burnham was eventually freed during a gun battle between her captors and the Philippine military. Tragically, Martin did not survive the battle.
In addition to Burnham’s presentation, those attending GIC services at the church had the opportunity to speak with the missionaries and view displays detailing their work. The exhibits included pictures, tools, clothing, jewelry and other items from the countries where the missionaries were working. Church members gained a better understanding of these foreign cultures, as well as the challenges the missionaries faced.
There were also opportunities to meet and speak with the missionaries outside of the church. On Friday evening, the missionaries met with their sponsoring Sunday school groups for dinner.
Saturday morning provided another chance to speak with the missionaries. The men met at Cassville Bowl while the women had a morning brunch at the church building, and the youth had a cookout.
On Monday, Weaver said the members of First Baptist did an excellent job of hosting and encouraging the missionaries during GIC.
“The missionaries commented that they go into most churches and, if they talk for more than 10 to 15 minutes, people’s eyes start rolling back in their heads, but it’s not that way here. The people want to hear what the missionaries have to say. They care that they are on the field,” said Weaver.